Seriously injured Ukrainian defender speaks of his treatment and family support
Forty-eight-year-old veteran Oleksiy Popovych, who followed his son to defend Ukraine after the full-scale invasion and lost an arm in combat, has told the UNBROKEN Ukraine National Rehabilitation Center the story of his treatment and how his wife, Yulia, supports him.
In civilian life, Oleksiy was an entrepreneur and volunteer from the small town of Kamyanske, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. He helped Ukrainian defenders on the front lines.
The older of the man's two sons signed a contract with the Armed Forces after completing his military service in 2021 and went to defend Ukraine from the Russian invasion after Feb. 24, 2022. Oleksiy followed his son and joined the 71st separate ranger brigade, where he rose from a rifleman to a chief sergeant.
In early fall, Oleksiy's brigade fought offensive battles in the Zaporizhzhya sector where he was seriously injured by an enemy tank that hit the evacuation vehicle, while Oleksiy was helping to evacuate his fallen and wounded comrades.
"When my husband's comrade called me, I was in despair, in tears, not knowing what to expect. You cannot prepare for this. It's unreal," says Yulia.
Read also: Volunteer fighter crawls to medical unit after tripping enemy mine, loses leg
After learning of Oleksiy's condition, she rushed to the hospital, where her husband was in intensive care. The defender had suffered a head injury, a bruised lung, a broken arm and injuries to his limbs, face and retina. When he regained consciousness, his wife was beside him, holding his remaining hand.
"Yulia became my right hand. At first it was difficult in everyday life. She helped me adapt and accept the injury," says Oleksiy.
Oleksiy is continuing his treatment and rehabilitation. On Airborne Forces Day, Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi awarded Oleksiy with the honorary badge of the Best Sergeant (Sergeant Major) of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Oleksiy's oldest son, 22-year-old Danylo, continues to defend Ukraine against Russian invaders. His father is preparing to be fitted with prosthetics, and will return to civilian life.
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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
